First Round Statement: Moses Itauma Blows Away Dillian Whyte

First Round Statement: Moses Itauma Blows Away Dillian Whyte

Pre-fight the question was what did Dillian Whyte have left? And what did Moses Itauma have? Inside two minutes of the opening round, we got our answers to those questions. Although, in truth, the answers were pretty obvious.

Whyte came in shape. His lightest weight for an age. But it was all for nothing. It was no unlucky thirteen for the young heavyweight sensation as Itauma blew away Whyte inside a round on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia. It brought back memories of the way Mike Tyson dismantled Marvis Frazier all those years ago. Make no mistake, Itauma is a frightening heavyweight prospect.

At 20, Itauma passed his toughest test on paper with relative ease. Whyte, the 37-year-old veteran offered very little, but Itauma was incredibly impressive. It’s difficult to find fault, it’s even harder not to ride that Moses Itauma hype-train. In thirteen wins as a professional, Itauma hasn’t put a foot wrong. Fight number fourteen will arrive before the end of the year. The choice of opposition will be interesting. Itauma still needs a few rounds of jeopardy before his inevitable arrival into a fight with the world heavyweight title on the line. Filip Hrgovic might not be a bad call. Is Moses Itauma a heavyweight champion in the making? Almost certainly.

“I will fight anyone they put in front of me,” Itauma said post-fight. The only thing Itauma lacks is rounds and experience. But does he really need those things?

Dillian Whyte is undoubtedly a faded fighter. Recent form demonstrates that, and we do have to put the Itauma victory into some kind of context. But Itauma won far quicker, and much easier than anyone expected.

Whyte should consider retirement. His best days are long gone. But Moses Itauma is almost certainly on his way to the biggest prize in the sport.